Friday, August 19, 2011

Rav Shlomo of Karlin once remarked that the verse juxtaposes statiation of hunger with blessings because, the real truth is that one is ultimately truly satiated from the blessings recited after the meal than from the meal itself!

Rav Baruch of Mezibuz once declared: the verse says "Eat and be satisfied and then bless Hashem!" That is what the Torah commands. Some fools however, he explained, think that they can rise in holiness by only bettering their soul with elevated thoughts, and afflicting their bodies with constant fasts. Well I compare them to the drunken peasent who sits drinking himself into a stupor at the bar, while his horse is tied up starving in the cold outside!"

Once there was a chassid, a follower of Rebbe Elimelech, who workedvery hard to rise in chassidus (piety), Torah learning, and prayer. But theRebbe could tell that the man's appetite for food was still unconquered.The Rebbe invited this chassid to come and eat breakfast with him. Ofcourse, the chassid was overjoyed at the privilege of eating together withhis Rebbe.

The chassid arrived to find that the table was set with only three items:a loaf of rye bread, salt, and a knife.

They washed their hands and broke bread with the blessing hamotzi.Before the Rebbe took another bite out of his slice, he began to mutter tohimself: "Melech, Melech, see how you eat! With what a detestable appetiteyou eat! You chew the bread so that you could swallow the whole piece inone shot. Your desire is greater than that of a beast "

Then he retorted: "No, that's not really so. I am not eating out of greed,but rather to satiate my hunger alone. If I don't eat, how will I learn Torahor pray and serve my Creator? I am eating simply to restore my soul andgive it life." He then cut another slice and ate it.

Before he finished chewing and swallowing, the Rebbe muttered again:"Melech, Melech, who do you think you're fooling! You say you are eatingonly to be satiated and serve G-d. All your words are lies and falsehood!How do you expect to save your soul with such false remarks? See for yourselfhow your whole body and all its limbs are filled with animal desire. Youwant to swallow the whole loaf at once! How dare you make up such liesand say that you eat for the sake of Heaven," and other such remarks. Thenhe retorted again, "No, no, I don't eat with desire. What can I do if I wascreated as a physical being? I must give my body what it needs to survive;otherwise it will not serve me. I cannot live without eating. I am not doingit out of animal desire, but simply to give myself life." And he ate anotherbite.

The guest was astonished and then brokenhearted when he heard theRebbe's inner debate. His heart melted at the Rebbe's rebuke of himself asthe chassid thought of his own inner desire for food. He could not movefrom the remorse he felt and became still as a stone. The Rebbe saw thechassid's anguish and saw that his medicine had been effective.

The Rebbe stopped eating and bentched, and the chassid finally fainted from his distress.And from then on the chassid's level of piety increased until he atepurely for the sake of Heaven for the rest of his days.

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About Machon Be'er Mayim Chayim

Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim is run and directed by Tal Moshe Zwecker.
Formerly of Oceanside Long Island in New York, Tal is a Clevelander Chassid (of
the Nadvorna dynasty).
He currently lives in Ramat Bet Shemesh Alef, Israel with his wife and children. Tal is a
volunteer speaker and Maggid shiur in local RBS Shuls. He teaches classes on the
http://www.virtualyeshiva.com/and also does guest speaking engagements on a
variety of topics from Shabbos Drashos, Shalosh Seudos Torah, Chassidus, Mussar,
Jewish Meditation and Topics in modern and contemporary Halachah.

The Baal Shem Tov saw Meshiach in a vision. He asked him
"When is the Master coming?" Meshiach told the Holy Baal Shem Tov
"when your wellsprings spread out." That is the goal of Machon Beer
Mayim Chaim to spread the teachings of Classical Chassidus to a wide audience.

"I have finished translating the classic Noam Elimelech with
selections on the parsha with notes and stories.
This project is now in the final editing phases at Targum / Feldheim. Dedication Opportunities are no
longer available
on this important and groundbreaking work. To pre-order the
sefer Noam Elimelech from me directly click here.

Dedications and Sponsorships for some of my other upcoming projects
are now being accepted and include:

To contact Tal Zwecker and for Speaking
engagements, Dedication Opportunities and Sponsorships email
us

Machon Be’er Mayim Chaim helping to fulfill:

The Baal Shem Tov's vision of Moshiach (1746)

In a letter to his brother-in-law, Rabbi Gershon Kitover, the Baal Shem
Tov relates: "On Rosh Hashanah of the year 5507 I made an 'ascent of
soul'... I ascended level after level until I reached the chamber of the
Moshiach... And I asked Moshiach: "When will the Master come?" And the
Moshiach replied: "When your teachings will be disseminated and revealed in
the world, and your wellsprings will spread outside..." (Keser
Shem Tov 1:1).